Last night there were spotty thunderstorms in my area, luckily I avoided a direct hit. I was able to complete this week’s grass maintenance, spending a little less than two hours on the mower. I again utilized my headphones, both listening to music and a podcast to help pass the time in the seat. At the end I drove out to the backyard to snap a picture of yet another scenic sunset, a natural Florida resource that I have been spending more time appreciating recently. After I put the tractor away and surveyed the now uniform looking grass I gave myself a a little mental “job well done”.
My weekend, despite my efforts to hack out large chunks of time requirements from yard work, still is feeling like it is going to be busy. Mid-afternoon Saturday I am again meeting up with Gladys’s sister Monique to do something I never did before, a psychic reading. This is something I have always had mixed feeling about. However I have been making efforts to be open to different types of experiences so I thought this could be interesting. If I was told something for example about my mom that there is no way this person could know otherwise it would be a little bit of a foundation shaking experience. I recall being told by my great aunt, who WAS definitely into reincarnation and things of that nature that when I was a young child I used to walk around talking about a prior life I had. I have no recollection of this but that information always stuck with me. Monique also told me how she went to Rural King once and really liked it, which I found funny so we will head there afterwards and grab dinner somewhere as well. It should be a different sort of fun.
On Sunday as long as the weather forecast looks ok, a channel subscriber will be coming down to ride with me mid-day Sunday. I also have some 3D printer repairs to complete along with finding time to do a professional-ish review of the new hoverboard.
Last night I was talking with Gladys about her history, specifically how she wound up coming to the US from Honduras which is a pretty amazing story. The path she has gone from a childhood of struggle living in a third world country to where she is now, living along the ocean on a tropical island is nothing short of incredible. Listening to her story got me thinking about my own path which has had it’s own share of crazy twists and turns albeit without the additional challenge of living in a less developed country.
My ideas of what laid ahead of me at different points of my life sometimes felt crystal clear, other times it was a fuzzy outline, at best. However the one constant thing was the path I traveled never has gone as I expected, ever. Now, after all of this time has passed, I am trying to focus on more of the journey instead of a destination. There have been many lessons learned along the way. Failure, ironically, is one of the most effective teachers there is. I hope the learning never stops.
Last night I got home with the intent of carrying out my new normal, doing yard work on a weeknight. I did not try to do a 2 for 1 deal like the past couple weeks where I would do an abbreviated weed whacking session followed by mowing. I chose to do a full whacking run instead which is needed periodically. Sure it eats up a good portion of my evening but with my headphones on combined with the cooler temperatures the level of agitation doing the task is dramatically decreased.
On Tuesday my GYROOR F1 hoverboard arrived. You may recall this was sent to me for free in exchange for my doing a video review of it. It’s sort of ironic that my PEV progression never included a hoverboard which is the ground floor for many people. It will be interesting to see how I like it. I hope to carve out some time this weekend to be able to do the review, part of the reason I want to get grass maintenance cleared off my plate.
This is totally random but in my head at this moment. I clearly remember when I was in 5th grade being taught the metric system. The teacher emphasized at that time how it was important for us to learn it because the United States was going to officially transition very soon. It made sense since practically the rest of the world was already using it. Plus a system based on factors of the number 10 seems to make a lot more sense than the imperial system which uses disconnected numbers for various measurements. Somehow the transition never really happened and here we are some 30+ years later still talking feet, pounds and miles. What is the hidden, deep meaning of this? I don’t have it clearly defined other than Americans don’t like change and feel little need to pay attention to the rest of the world.
Oh speaking of the weekend, I also potentially have another channel viewer coming down to ride EUCs with me. He would be bringing his gigantic Monster Pro wheel with him, a model I had never ridden. I have met up with a number of people that know me from YouTube. It has always wound up being a good experience. I’m hoping for the same once again.
This was an email I received recently that is connected to the self help/improvement program I have been working with. I thought it was a a scenario I identified with and is a clear failure I have had in the past when engaging in relationship dynamics. I am hoping this realization helps me in future when it comes to recognizing and giving what really matters with a partner.
A few days ago I had a stupid argument with my wife.
The topic was a trifle–and a common one.
We were preparing for a night of dancing and debauchery with friends and, like many a lovely lady before her, she felt uncomfortable with her appearance.
This dress was too tight.
That skirt made her look fat.
This outfit made her look like a cheap Victorian stripper.
You know the drill.
Objectively speaking, her discomfort was unfounded.
Regardless of her outfit, I thought she looked stunning.
And it was clear from the subsequent cat-calling, gawking, and straight women suddenly questioning their sexuality that I wasn’t alone in this sentiment.
But sentiment be damned, she wasn’t “feeling” herself.
Now, I should have responded to her emotionally charged state with grace and tact.
But being the self-proclaimed Dark Overlord of Personal Development, I naturally turned it into a “teaching moment.”
So in my infinite wisdom, I proceeded to chastise her on the importance of self-confidence and berate her for the negative self-talk that was so obviously ruining our night.
Suffice it to say, she did not appreciate my condescension.
But I managed to avoid disaster and the night proceeded as planned.
Then, after enough dancing and drinking that we felt it prudent to spend the night with our friends, something interesting happened.
The following morning, while we were all getting ready to swim off our hangovers at a local river, the couple we were staying with had the same conversation.
She wasn’t comfortable in her bathing suit.
Her discomfort was objectively unfounded.
And then the magic happened.
My friend slowly looked his wife up and down, slid his hands around her waist, and responded simply:
“I will never understand the way you see yourself and I’m sorry you don’t feel comfortable… But I can barely take my eyes off of you.”
Sonofabitch.
She giggled, looked at herself again, exclaimed “Really?!” and then threw her arms around him.
The difference between her response and my wife’s was night and day.
Because the difference between his response and my response was equally disparate.
As men, our natural proclivity is often to “fix” or teach or solve our partner’s problems through the same logical lens we would solve our own.
Problem is, a logical onslaught is rarely what our partners need.
They don’t want to hear that they’re wrong or that their feelings are invalid.
They want the masculine to inject itself into their emotional storm and gently lead them out of it.
Empathy, love, and validation are the most powerful weapons in your arsenal.
Last night I did a follow up test that was requested by someone on my channel. It was the No Load Lift test I did on the OneWheel GT and OneWheel XR. This test shows the top rotational speed the boards can attain with no resistance on them, giving a relative idea of the device capabilities. When I last did this test the XR topped out at 31MPH and the GT at 38MPH thanks to it’s more robust batteries with higher voltage. There have been a few things that have changed since that initial test. I changed the tire on the XR from the stock Vega that was on it for years to the new treaded Hoosier. The GT has taken two firmware updates since then as well so there was some curiosity if this affected the top end numbers. The answer I got was things were the same, almost.
The GT clocked in at the exact same 38MPH as it did previously. Surprisingly the XR was 1MPH slower, topping out at 30MPH. The new Hoosier tire is a little smaller than the Vega but I didn’t expect it to change the numbers under a no load condition, interesting. I threw together the video and here is the end result.
When I look at the calendar and see it is already mid-June it blows my mind a little bit. In less than two months an entire year will have passed since my major change in life direction. Unlike the last time I got out of a long term relationship where I had ideas and expectations about how things would go, none of which panned out ultimately, this time I really never had an idea or expectation of what lay ahead. I have been just trying to go with the flow and have definitely put more thought and effort into working on some of my internal thought processes and patterns that have been detrimental to my overall happiness long term. I wish I would have taken the time to concentrate on this a long, long time ago but as they say, better late than never.
On Friday my buddy Rich and I went to play pickle ball at lunch. We had the good fortune of being able to play on one of the courts in the covered area which are much cooler in June. We were getting ready to start our first game of singles when an older guy asked if we wanted to play doubles instead. We said sure, having no idea what level of players they were. The one guy was taller, had a decent serve and was good at the kitchen line. The other guy was smaller but was a “banger”. I banger is a guy that just hits most balls hard. He had a compact, whip-like swing that resulted in punishing shots, if you let him. The way to deal with a banger is to not give him balls he can bang, meaning low.
The first game they killed us, something like 11-2 or 11-3. They played well but we also made a lot of unforced errors. The second game was much closer with us losing something like 11-9. It was during that game that we started to neutralize the banger with not only trying to keep the ball down but also by making him move around more. He had knees that made mine look pristine so forcing him to chase a shot was his kryptonite.
During the last game the tables had almost completely turned. Rich and I made less forced errors, served more aggressively and just played better all around, winning that last game by something like 11-4 or 11-5. It felt good to adapt to changing conditions and come out with a positive result, even if it was against two guys that have been collecting social security for years. After the last game we talked to them a bit, it sounds like they are regulars and would be willing to play us in the future if we have an opening. Prior to the match I already made the mental decision that hernias are not affected by playing pickle ball. This decision had no medical research backing it up whatsoever.
Despite getting a good calorie burn from the pickle ball play over lunch, after work I decided to return to my Friday evening road bike regimen, something I bet I have not done in somewhere around 6 weeks due to schedule, weather or various other reasons. It was somewhat blustery which felt miserable when that wind was working against you, in this case after the turn around. I usually like to keep in the same gear and just increase my effort level in most wind. This was severe enough that I dropped a couple sprockets. I didn’t like doing it but I was really struggling. When I got home I was sweating my ass off. I posted this picture of my sweaty fist/wrist to illustrate the conditions but all it did was confuse people. If you look at it the wrong way it looks like I have a Popeye-sized forearm with some weird bulge by my wrist.
So with the likely hernia I have I’ve been trying to mentally figure out where is the line of effort. What can and can’t I do without making it worse? Well at least so far that line sort of doesn’t exist. During the day Saturday I did my normal chores and later in the afternoon headed outside with the loppers to knock down low hanging branches around the landscape that have been annoying me. I was bending down, collecting, grabbing and throwing half a dozen yard carts full of debris. I didn’t notice any sharp pain from that area but I think the knowledge that it is there makes me wonder if I am feeling something time to time. Several times I did quick visual inspections to verify I don’t see anything noticeably different down there.
On Saturday evening Ali and Shuggs came over with Sadie and Ferdie in tow. The purpose was to give them a brief tutorial on chicken duties although I am sure I will have full written instructions possibly backed up by a video walk through for completeness. They picked up a pizza on the way in which we enjoyed while downing some alcoholic beverages. They hung around until about 9PM. We firmed up the plans for Sunday which included me going to see the progress of their home at Babcock Ranch AND picking up a queen size mattress and box spring with them in my Tacoma.
When they left I had already drank at least four White Claws so I was feeling a little drunk. For some reason I decided to fire up another live stream. I have done a bunch of live streams in the last month, averaging almost one per week when the old norm used to be one every 1-2 months. I thought it would just be maybe an hour or so but the stream extended to over three hours primarily because Gladys agreed to come on with me later in the broadcast. It was a fun interaction all the way around but with my drinking another couple White Claws during the stream I was pretty drunk and felt pretty shitty the following morning.
Despite being up late Saturday I was up and moving before 7:30 on Sunday. I was trying to hustle to get things done so I could get on my way to Ali and Shugs. Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like you are grinding and grinding but not making much progress? That was how a good portion of my Sunday felt. The haze from drinking of course didn’t help things but everything felt like I was moving through quick sand. My bill paying session drug on forever because it was credit card statement reconciliation time which is always a drag normally. It was especially so this time because of several charges that were not made by myself on the account. By the time I researched them and then followed up with a call to Amazon I spent an extra 30-45 minutes which in retrospect could have been avoided completely.
After being stuck on bills forever I then tried to quickly handle a number of other things before heading out the door, none of which seemed to go as expected. Hey I know, shit happens but man the pile was stacking pretty high. I got up to Ali and Shugs place a little before noon. We first went to pick up the bedding. Their house is supposed to be done in about a month so we just took the two pieces back to their apartment where it will live for a month stacked against a wall.
We then made the half hour drive out to their new house which has progressed considerably since I last saw it. It now has tile, cabinets, a rear patio and the pool cage looks ready to assemble. Despite all of the progress it still seems there is a LOT to get completed in a little more than 30 days. It will be interesting to see if that date gets slid back. On the way back we stopped at Chili’s for a quick lunch as I needed to get back home for a movie meet up last night.
So I was going to go see the new and supposedly last Jurassic Park movie, once again with Gladys’s sister Monique. This time we went to Silverspot which used to be the most high end theater in the area but has been outpaced by places like the Cinebistro at this point. We ordered our dinner which was then brought to our seats just as the previews were starting which worked out well. With all of the alcohol I drank Saturday night I had no desire for any more, I stuck to a Coke.
The movie was on the long side, pushing two and a half hours but the time passed pretty quickly. It was cool seeing the major cast members from all of the series together at one time. The movie had all of the typical dinosaur jump scares Jurassic Park is known for and I liked it overall, just not as much as the new Top Gun. 🙂 I’d give it a B+. Monique enjoyed the movie too. It’s been nice getting to know her. She has a lot of unique qualities that are interesting. I suspect we will continue to do things as time allows.
When I got home after 10 Sunday I still had things to attend to. My Tesla was scheduled to finally get fixed Monday, something I have been looking forward to. I gathered up the stuff I was going to need as my plan was to drop it off and then ride my V11 to the office. I was then going to have Rich take me home Monday after work. I staged everything last night and then packed my lunch in my soft sided cooler since it has a strap I could use while riding. I pulled into the body shop a few minutes before eight and went inside. What follows below is not fiction but a story of incredible and frustrating coincidence.
I walked up to the counter and said I was here for my appointment and gave my name. The receptionist pulled my paperwork for “Duffy” and confirmed I was dropping off a Tesla Model X. “No it’s a Model Y” I replied. Weird she said, they must have just made a typo. I asked her if that meant the wrong parts could have been ordered? She said no, they order based on VIN. Ok… So next she asks me to confirm my phone number. She reads off a number I never heard of before. “That is not my number” I tell her. She flips the paperwork around and let’s me see it. I do a double take.
The paperwork is for “John Duffy” who owns a Model X, has Geico insurance (not Travelers) and lives elsewhere. He evidently contacted the body shop around the same time as I did. The woman said she didn’t see any email from me in early May with my Travelers claim info. She asked who I talked to. I told her it was another woman whom evidently also works the front desk. I told her I sent the estimate from Travelers to the email address I was given and I even followed up a day later, confirming it was received. I did one more follow up on Friday just firming up that all parts were in and the work for Duffey was ready to go.
I dug in my sent emails and found the email I sent on May 9th, as I indicated however the woman did not see it. I told her to check her junk mail, there it was. So basically because of this odd coincidence of two Duffy’s a day apart, when I double checked everything was in order they assumed it was for John Duffy.
So I couldn’t really get mad about this, it was an honest mistake and the odds of all of the stars aligning they way they had in this confusing way was just weird. They were very apologetic about the mistake which could have been avoided with a little more attention to detail but I have been guilty of the same if not worse many times in my life. I basically now start over at square one, they order the parts and based on that timeline we will set a new appointment date. It’s disappointing but not the end of the world.
Yesterday I heard back from the med clinic regarding the results of my ultrasound. They said that it does seem to be a potential hernia. They said I could either schedule a CT for more definitive proof or schedule an appointment to talk to a surgeon. I decided the latter as both the physical exam and the ultrasound seem to be pointing in a pretty clear direction, I would rather avoid additional testing if not necessary. I really just want to get some clarity and information so I can make some logistical decisions on how to move forward. I could be told that because it is small and not causing pain that I can keep going as is. Even if I am told that surgery is the recommended fix because of things coming up it would need to be slotted in at a time that will work for me.
This week I have utilized the evenings to get some things done that typically in the past occur on weekends. On Wednesday night I cleaned the bathrooms and last night I was outside weed whacking and mowing. I again did not do full weed whacking because of time. I instead whacked the foot high weeds under the solar panels and then a quick run around the immediate house. I finished up a few minutes earlier than the week before and was able to snap another pretty post sunset panorama.
Doing these tasks during the week make my weekends feel more open which is a feeling I find that I enjoy. Also doing yard maintenance in the evening removes me from heat and skin cancer inducing sun exposure I get when I do this on a typical Saturday afternoon.
My Tesla is going in for repair of the damage on the rear deck lid/bumper on Monday. I feel fortunate that I am getting it done in June compared to the November time frame I was given by the Tesla certified body shop. This place has been around for a long time and has a good reputation from what I have seen so hopefully all is well. My plan is to drop it off Monday with an EUC in the trunk, ride the EUC the couple miles to the office and then get my buddy from work to drop me off at home Monday night. I will just use the Tacoma as my daily driver until the repair is complete.
I saw Matthew McConaughey’s speech he made in Washington about the recent shooting in Texas which happened to also be his hometown. I thought he did an excellent job of cutting through and calling out the political games that always surround one of these awful and horrific shootings. I found his speech powerful, touching, and real. I hope it has a tangible effect in moving the dial towards reasonable gun ownership laws. Good luck moving those lobbyist enslaved politicians towards any position the NRA does not allow them to have. Regardless, it was a great message.
I will be seeing Ali and Shugs a lot this weekend. They are going to come to the house on Saturday night to hang so I can give them a crash course on chicken/house sitting. They graciously offered to hold down the fort for me while I travel to NY with my family in early July. I then have plans to go see their house that is nearing completion on Sunday. I also may wind up doing something with Gladys’s sister Monique again this weekend if we can work it out. Should be a fun 48.
Yesterday I was bent out of shape about the lower abdominal protrusion I noticed a few days ago. I decided I would like to get a medical opinion on it so I called our local med center. During the covid time frame it often took a couple weeks to get in for less serious things. I was surprised when they said they could see me yesterday afternoon. During the day I developed an alternative theory for the bulge, a varicose vein. The bulge is on my right side which is the side with the intact varicose veins, I had the vein stripped from my left leg in my early 30’s. When they did that procedure they made a series of small incisions to pull the vein out, the top one being right in the groin. So my idea was maybe what I am seeing was a vein and not a potential hernia.
So during my exam I mentioned my vein theory. However when she put her fingers on the bulge and then had me cough she was pretty convinced that it is a hernia, awesome news. She set me up to have the area ultrasounded to confirm. Her advice for now was to not do overly strenuous activities. Sure thing, piece of cake, not. So I called the number to schedule the ultrasound, again expecting to be told they can get me in in a week or so. “We have 4PM today open” was instead the surprise response I got. I have always been the type of person that prefers to get unpleasant things over and done with so I took the appointment.
The procedure was a bit awkward as the location of the bulge required the female tech to be wanding in areas that are not seen by most people. She did it with me both laying down, when the bulge is less evident, as well as standing up. I asked her if she saw anything. She said she did but she was not allowed to give any sort of results, only the radiologist that looks at the images can do that. However her reaction sort of indicated to me that this probably is a hernia.
Hernia’s don’t fix themselves, you have two options. It can be surgically repaired or you just let it ride, hoping it does not get any worse. I should have the official results later today, based on them I will decide what path to take. The idea of having hernia surgery is looming heavy on my mind despite me not really knowing how seriously or how long I would be impacted.
As I walked around the yard last night I again found myself thinking about the no net scenario I am living. If something serious happened to me I don’t have many nearby options to help pick up the slack if I am unable to carry the load, even for a short period of time. My best option would probably be Ali and Shugs but I generally hate asking others for help, of any sort. The no net reality is the type of scenario that I prefer to not dwell on as it is what it is. I later tried to shift my thinking into a more positive direction, reminding myself that I will get by this latest setback, just like all of the others previously because that is just what I do. What other choice is there?
Let’s not end the blog with whining about my medical trials and tribulations. Here is a picture of one of the two cats that I feed daily at work. This guy(actually not sure of gender) used to stay 20 feet away from me while I was in there doing their food and water. Over time he has inched closer and closer while I refill the food bowls and replace the water. Nowadays he is right next to my hand as I am putting the food down. There is something I really cherish about winning an animals trust.
I’m working on a fun 3D project. For too long of a period of time I will just be producing parts for the 3D store, forgetting about the best part of 3D printing, just making cool stuff.
I am making a Hello Kitty model for Gladys’s little niece. It is multi-color which is achieved by printing different parts in different colors and then gluing it together. I started the assembly last night. I hope to finish it up tonight if I have time after doing some outdoor mowing.
Last night I did something I have not done in years, recorded a real workout video. For 3-4 years I recorded hundreds of these type of videos, most of which were shot in my backyard bar park that I constructed. I have been trying to step up my overall fitness regimen, recording workouts is one way to keep myself accountable. I did my new version of the “Century” workout, the name indicating you are doing a total of 100 reps. This is a timed workout where your goal is to do it as quickly as possible while still utilizing decent form. Working against the clock is very motivating based on my years of experience.
My video production skills and equipment have improved significantly since my early days. As usual I tried to add some humor along the way. The segments that I sped up and was breathing heavy sounded ridiculous. I first timed this version of the workout last week. It took me six and a half minutes to complete. Last night I did it in 5:15, a significant improvement in one week of time. It was fun to shoot this type of video again, I may keep doing them on a limited basis.
So somewhere in the last couple days I noticed what looked like a small protrusion in my lower abdomen while showering. It doesn’t hurt but it is something that definitely was not there before. I am concerned that what I am seeing is the beginning of a hernia. I don’t recall a specific event where I felt pain but I do a lot of strenuous things both around the house and at the gym so who knows the potential origin. My brother has been dealing with a hernia and failed remediation of it for a number of years which is EXACTLY what I want to avoid. I am going to monitor the spot for a few days, if it doesn’t go away I suppose the responsible action is to have the med clinic look at it and get their opinion.
Last night when I went out to attend to Kathy in the chicken yard I saw the outlines of two larger birds by the area where I spread scratch grains. As I got closer I realized that I had two duck visitors. When the property gets flooded it isn’t unusual for ducks to come in and hang in the temporary ponds that form on the property but in this case most of the standing water was already gone. They were unsure about me and moved away as I approached but I gave them plenty of space which encouraged them to return. I really do appreciate the simple interactions with nature I get to have living where I do.
A week or so ago someone reached out to me from a company that sells high end hoverboards, yes hoverboards. For many years I would cringe when someone would see me on an EUC or OneWheel and say “look at the hoverboard!” It’s not a freaking hoverboard.
I have ridden tons of different PEVs over the years, the Minipro, electric skateboards, scooters, One Wheels and of course electric unicycles. The one thing I have never owned or ridden was a hoverboard, one of the early pioneers in the PEV craze.
EVERYONE wanted a hoverboard for awhile, you saw them everywhere. Later they got a bad rap when a number of videos popped up on the internet of them going up like roman candles. The fires really killed off their popularity for awhile but over time they have made a bit of a comeback.
So anyway, this company rep saw my YouTube channel and asked if I would be interested in reviewing the F1 version of their board. After looking at some of the information about it I decided sure, why not? They send you the product for free and you get to keep it. I’m happy to shoot a brief review video on it in exchange. This particular version seems pretty advanced compared to what I knew hoverboards to be. The odds of me actually keeping it are slim to none. Once I play around with it I am sure I will give it away to someone that could put it to better use.
Last week I received my updated voter registration card in the mail. Ever since getting it I had an urge to go in and make a change. Some of you may recall the story of how I was a registered republican since the 80’s. I never voted strictly along party lines but back then I liked Reagan so I registered as a member of his party. Things seemed good back then although history would later reveal that some of the stuff that went on during his time in office sowed the seeds for some of the mess we are in today.
Back in 2018 I made the decision to officially change my party affiliation to democrat. Over the prior 15 years I found myself more aligned with democratic principals even though I still voted back and forth across party lines depending on the position and candidates. I was also disgusted with what was going in Washington at the time which helped fuel the decision. Yesterday, I changed again.
Like I said my political beliefs float back and forth across the center line. I believe in the greater good principals yet I detest individuals that try to take advantage of benefits or programs designed to help those truly in need. I believe in supporting those that need help but also that you should exhaust all efforts to help yourself. I appreciate hard work. I think health care should not bankrupt individuals, but that those same individuals should make the effort to live a healthier lifestyle. I think we should be stewards of the environment and not consumers of it. I think religion should be freely accepted for anyone to practice what they believe, as long as they are not trying to enforce those beliefs on others.
I think from a fiscal perspective I am more conservative and from society perspective more liberal. So anyway, I also am very aware that no matter what political party is in power, the real decision makers are the ones that lobby politicians for influence. There is an overarching core of infinite wealth and power that is willing to take whatever steps are necessary to further their own agenda.
One of their core strategies is to get the general population to fight against each other, causing almost tribal like conflict amongst them. These efforts are the perfect distraction to keep people distracted, looking over there while they play their dirty games over here. This corruption and toxicity poisons BOTH major political parties, that is without doubt.
So when I looked at my options for political affiliation on the voter registration web site I made what seemed like the only logical choice for me at this point, NPA, which stands for no party affiliation. It falls in line with how I truly analyze and look at things. I will pick the best person for the position in my opinion based on information/past history/issues, which sadly in many cases may just be the least worst. I don’t need red or blue to make that decision for me.
Friday and Saturday, well half of Saturday was a wash out due to the tropical storm that rolled through our area. It was not a wind event but man oh man it was a rain event with 24 hours of solid precipitation. I have not heard an official total but I’m positive we got at least a half foot of rain. The property looked as you would anticipate, severely flooded. The silver lining is since we are just at the start of rainy season the ground was not saturated, allowing most of the water to soak in within a day or so. Right around mid-day Saturday the skies started to clear and by mid-afternoon bright sun was again the norm.
Saturday night I made plans to go see Top Gun Maverick, a movie I have heard nothing but positive reviews about from EVERYONE that had seen it. I invited Gladys’s sister to go with me, she hadn’t been to the movies for a long time and I would always rather go to the movies with someone than alone. We went to the Cinebistro, the new high end theater that opened late last year. I have been there a few times and always enjoyed myself.
The theater was full, really full. I have not sat in a theater with this many people in probably 5 years or more. The concierge style service this theater uses makes it extremely demanding on the staff when it’s this full. Ironically our food came out relatively quick however the drinks did not, we both had finished our meal by the time our beverages arrived. When I asked what the deal was they said drinks were “backed up”. Sounds like they needed to swing some of those food prep staff to drinks. Monique and I got the same meal, a shrimp gnochi entree which was really good.
I was glad I wore jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Last time I was there I froze my ass off in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, utilizing the cloth napkin at one point as a “blanket”. Once the movie started they cranked down the thermostat, but I was ok. Like I said I had heard heaps of praise about the film with some stating it may actually be BETTER than the original which is practically never heard. Well I can tell you, the hype is real.
The fact they can launch a sequel to a film that was made 36 YEARS later and have it feel this good is really an amazing accomplishment. The tie ins to the original were all there and the action and suspense was as good as it gets. Unlike the overwhelming majority of films today that rely heavily on CGI to make things happen this was live action stuff, it was refreshing to experience again. In normal life Tom Cruise and his Scientologist life style is bizarre to say the least but when it comes to action films he has always been and will likely always be one of my favorite actors. I thought this was the best movies I had seen in a long time, A+. Monique liked it as well which I was happy to hear. Hopefully we get to hang out some more in the future.
I slept really late on Sunday, almost 9AM which is extremely rare. I was up extra late on Saturday night editing a video about my new vacuum when I got home. I was too pumped up from the movie to go right to sleep.
I only had a few things I wanted to get done during the day. I posted a poll on Instagram asking where people thought I should ride the OneWheel GT. I had three options with a fourth being to ride an EUC instead, which won the poll, not surprising considering my EUC-heavy audience. I decided to do both things, ride the GT and an EUC.
I first went to Collier North Regional Park, a place I had not visited in a very long time since the park by my house opened up. I wanted to test all six GT ride modes, a request I got from a channel viewer. I had only tried out three of them to that point. Some of the other modes I hated but some I liked. It was enjoyable to cruise the park, it has a longer and more diverse path around it’s perimeter than my new park.
I then packed up and drove to the Greenway where I pulled out my V11. I had a good time once again, cruising all the way down to the beach and back. The suspension on the V11 makes such a difference for my riding comfort. I didn’t film as much as I would have liked due to camera difficulties and low battery. I had a spare battery that I neglected to bring along, dumb me.
I got home and dug into video editing. I bet I spent 5 hours in total editing last night, one of my longest sessions of recent memory. I shut the computer off after 11PM.
So I was concerned about the baby birds with the storm that rolled through. I checked on them Saturday afternoon and they seemed fine, the solar panel above the nest provided some degree of protection. They were about two weeks old at this point with open eyes and their feathers starting to develop. So imagine my feelings when I peeked in their nest Sunday to find it, empty….
I was immediately sad and concerned about what happened to them. It seemed impossible that they were developed enough to leave the nest this soon but then I thought back to the last time baby mockingbirds were in a nest at that exact same spot. It was very similar, they disappeared before it seemed like they were big enough to do so.
I recently looked it up and the typical nesting period for baby mockingbirds is only around 12 days so I guess my concern was unfounded. Hopefully the babies are safe, sound and enjoy a good life.
Last night there were spotty thunderstorms in my area, luckily I avoided a direct hit. I was able to complete this week’s grass maintenance, spending a little less than two hours on the mower. I again utilized my headphones, both listening to music and a podcast to help pass the time in the seat. At the end I drove out to the backyard to snap a picture of yet another scenic sunset, a natural Florida resource that I have been spending more time appreciating recently. After I put the tractor away and surveyed the now uniform looking grass I gave myself a a little mental “job well done”.
